Improvement in lubricators



D. P. BALDWIN.

Lubricator.

Patented .lun 10, 1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL P. BALDWIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN LUBRICATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,303., dated June10, 1879; application filed November 29, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DANIEL P. BALDWIN, of thecity and county of San Francisco, and State of California, have inventedan Improved Lubricator; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to thedrawin gs accompanying this specification andforming a part of the same.

My invention has reference to improvements in lubricators or oil-cupsfor feeding oil and other lubricants to frictional surfaces; and itconsists principally in the application of a filter or strainer, so thatthe oil or other lubricant will be compelled to pass through the filterand be purified before it passes to the friction-surlace.

The device herewith represented shows an arrangement by which the filteror strainer also forms the regulator or feeder which determines andregulates the flow of oil from the oiLcup.

My invention also includes an arrangement for conducting the oil orlubricating-liquid from the cup or lubricator to the friction-surfacewhen, by reason of location or surroundings, it is found necessary orconvenient to place the cup or lubricator at a distance from the surfaceto be lubricated, all as hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the drawings herewith, Figure 1 represents my oil-cup orlubricator located at a distance from and to one side of the surface tobe lubricated, and having my conductor connecting them, as hereinafterspecified. Fig. 2 is a vertical section-of the cup and filteringfeeder.Fig. 3 is a view of the feeder-spindle.

Fig. 4 shows a cast journal-box with oilcup cast on it.

A is the cup or vessel in which the lubricant is contained, and B is thetube or passage through which the lubricant passes or is conducted tothe friction-surface.

If the body of the cup is made of glass, a

metal tube is secured in its bottom in the usual way, to which thefeeding device is applied. This tube is made slightly tapering and witha smooth exterior. In the base R,

made slightly tapering, and just large enough screw or spindle, C, canbe turned down into 117. This spindle passes up through the vessel A,and has a large head, D, on its upper endabove the top of the vessel.The lower end of the spindle C, I flatten on each side, so

as to provide passages i, which lead downward and communicate wlth amain passage, 73, which leads out at the side of the tube at or near themiddle of the tube B, and a short distance below the lower end of thispassage I commence another passage, 1', which leads from the outside ofthe tube to its center, and then downward through its center to itslower end. In one side of the bushing opposite the adjacent ends ofthese lower passages i r, I make a recess, depression, or sink, t, sothat when the cup and its tube B are turned so that both lower passages,t" r, connect with it, the oil will flow out of the upper passage, '513, into the recess or depression, and thence pass into the lowerpassage, 1', and thence down through the lower part of the tube to theparts to be lubricated; but by turning the cup and tube slightly thecommunication between the two passages is cut off and the oil ceases tofeed. Uponthe spindle I place a number .of disks, E, which are made ofpaper, cloth, or other fibrous absorbent or filtering material. Thesedisks need not be larger in diameter than the lower head of the spindle,and each one is perforated with a hole in its center, so that anydesired number of disks can he slipped on over the spindle just abovethe tube B, and thus give any desired length of filtering-surface. N ow,.when the screw end of the spindle is turned down into the tube B theseries or layers of disks can be compressed more or less, as desired. Ifsufiicient force is applied the feeding can be entirely stopped;

but by retreating or loosening the screw end of the spindle the oil inthe cup or vessel A will be absorbed by or through the series of disksand the oil will flow down into the passage t'. By loosening the spindlethe oil can be fed as fast as desired, and every particle will bethoroughly filtered as itleaves the cup,

so that it goes to the bearing-surface in the very best condition,leaving all sediment or impurities in the cup, from which it can beoccasionally cleaned.

Disks of blotting-paper make the best filter, but cloth or any fibrousfiltering material can be used.

The head D of the spindle I shall usually extend upward through the cupand above its top, so that the spindle can be turned up or down by it,and thus regulate the feed.

To enable me to fill the cup readily I bore a hole, P, in the upper endof this head or spindle deep enough to enter the cup, and from thebottom of this bore I make radial holes 12 leading from it into the cup,so that by pouring the oil into the bore it will pass into the cup. Theupper end of this bore should be kept plugged.

An air-duct, V, is made in one side of the passage, through which theair in the cup escapes as the oil enters.

Around the upper end of the spindle G, where it fits in the mouth of thecup, I make a groove, W, in which I place a suitable packing substance,so as to make a tight fit or stuffing-box, which will prevent the oilfrom being forced out of the cup when the oiler is used on crank-pins orother moving parts of machinery.

I can also cast the cup directly upon, and so as to form an integralpart of, the journalboX, as shown at Fig. 4, in which case all I have todo to finish the cup is to bore out the passage between the cup andbearing, make the recess or depression in its side, and insert myimproved filtering-spindle, as above specified. In some instances thiswill be convenient and preferable.

By this arrangement I provide a very simple and efficient oil-feeder. Infact, either of the devices mentioned-that is, the filtering device orthe connected passages-will make a good oil feeder and regulator whenused sep-- arately butI prefer to use them both, as above explained.

It often happens that a bearing or friction surface which requires to belubricated is so situated that it is impossible, by reason of itssurroundings and location, to apply the cup directly above it. 1 havediscovered that in this case I can place the lubricator or oil-cup atany desired distance to one side of it, and employ a very simple andeffective device for conducting the oil to the bearing surface. This isshown at Fig. 1, and consists of a small wire, K, the upper end of whichenters the lower end of the spindle B. V The wire is then bent at thedesired angle, and its opposite end entered into the oil-hole of the boxL, which is located below and at one side of the lubricator. The oil, asit leaves the lower end of the tube B, will cling to the wire and followit until it drops into the oil-hole at the opposite end, thus providingan extremely simple and cheap conductor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s

1. The cup or vesselA, with its tube B, the upper end of the passage insaid tube being tapped with screw -threads, in combination with thescrew-spindle O, with its grooves or passages ii, and filtering mediumE, substan tially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a lubricator, the wire K for conductin g the lubricant down itsexterior surface from the oil-cup to friction-surfaces at a distance,substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

DANIEL P. BALDWIN.

WVitnesses D. B. LAWLER, H. M. GHAOE.

